Awakening
by Sheankelor
Summary: So, how did Beryl get into the series? Who was she before she became Beryl? I hope that these answer those questions. This one is related to Becoming A Queen. If you enjoy please let me know. Written for sm month Oct'07. Rate T just to be safe.
1. Who is the villain

Title: Who is the villain? - Awakening part I  
Author: Ree  
Theme: Favorite Character - Beryl- Fairytale  
Genre: General  
Version: Anime/ Manga - Fates/Tainted Gifts storyline- preseries (Mia)  
Rating: G

Most of these characters belong to Takeuchi Naoko. I just borrowed my daughters paper dolls again.

Who is the villain?

_AN: Mia is to Beryl as Usagi is to Sailor Moon_

Mia tossed in her bed. Her curly red hair clung to the sides of her face as sweat ran off her body and soaked her sheets. In her dream, she ran through a blasted landscape trying to escape the voice that haunted her, called to her.

Dread colored everything she saw. The land was devoid of all life, gray and taupe rocks were strewn about. The sky, though not quite black, was dark and foreboding. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw a girl with pale hair, and with the full moon shining behind her. Anger boiled up in her whenever the Moon-girl appeared in the dream. There was a vague outline of a man next to the girl, but the brightness of the moon's light made it impossible to determine anything about him. Somehow, Mia knew that the voice was not the Moon-girl's, nor was it the shadow's that lurked at her side. But to be safe, she avoided the girl, too even though part of her wanted to snatch the shadowy man away from her.

Eventually, her steps led her to a small stone alter with four stones resting on it. Behind the stones shimmered the vague image of four men, bound to the stones by black, silken ropes, bowing to her. As she tried to figure out the significance of the stones and the men, a loud buzzing sound made her jerk around in terror.

Sitting up in bed, Mia stared with wide blurry eyes at the digital alarm clock on her night stand. _'It is morning. I have to get up. I've got to get to class.'_ Staring a bit longer, she leaned back on her hand, preventing herself from plopping back into the bed.

Heaving a heavy sigh, she yanked the covers off of her, swung out of the bed, and slapped the alarm off. Dragging herself to the bathroom, she wished the nightmare would fade, but from past experience she knew that it wouldn't. She looked at the shadows that were under her eyes and then splashed her face with water. _'I went to bed early last night. Why? Why did the nightmare have to come back last night. Why couldn't've it waited until tonight?'_ Looking past her face, she could still see the shadowy outline of man she wanted to meet, to steal back, to protect, from the moon. Pulling a comb through her hair, she pushed the image away. and prepared for the day.

Mia pushed her hair back out of her face, the wind flung it back. Frowning, she moved it enough to get a clear view of the college's inner courtyard. _'Where is she? Maria said to meet her here at 9 o'clock. Well, it is 9:10. '_ As she waited impatiently she watched the other students pass by. She amused herself by identifying them and attempting to guess which class they were rushing off to. _'Everyone knows each other in the inner courtyard. It's an unwritten rule. You can't enter here if you are a freshman. And you also have to be invited.'_ With a superior smile, she watched the rest of chosen lounging in their respected spots under trees, near fountains, and on strategically placed benches.

Twisting slightly on _her_ fan-back chair, Mia caught sight of Maria crossing to their section of the inner sanctum. When she was sure that Maria saw her, she looked pointedly at her watch.

Maria flashed her an apologetic smile. "I overslept. Sorry to keep you waiting."

Mia buried the aggravation that was eating at her. She could forgive her best friend. "Let's go. We need to get to class."

Maria knew what Mia meant. They had to be there before the teacher, before the other students. It was part of their image. Grabbing at Mia's hand, she pulled. "Come on!" Walking quickly, both women rushed to class.

Mia glared at the assignment. _'Are fairy tales based on reality? What kind of paper is this? How could they not be? I mean, they were intended to be lessons.'_ Typing furiously, she wrote her essay to her usual standard. It was sure to make an A.

After saving and printing, Mia slipped into bed. _'Please. Please, don't let me have the nightmare tonight. Please.'_ Closing her eyes, she drifted to sleep with that thought firmly in mind.

Trees surrounded her this evening: tall, thick trees. Mia turned about and drew a deep breath. The night air was moist and sweet smelling, perfumed by the multitude of flowers blooming somewhere nearby. Listening to the crickets and tree frogs, she wound her way through the trees and into a large garden. There, she spotted a tall man with hair the color of the night sky, eyes as blue as the ocean, and a smile that was meant only for her. The dress she wore brushed the tops of her feet as she walked to him, smiling a warm welcome. Raising her hand to greet him, she saw that her sleeve had a gold braid around the wrist. It shone bright against the forest green of the sleeve. The man returned her greeting. _'Endymion. His name is Endymion. He is the only one for me. He holds my heart.'_

Holding out a red rose, Endymion met her halfway. "Beryl, you came. I was worried that you wouldn't be able to make it." Joy flowed out of his eyes and into her.

"And why wouldn't I be able to make it?" She felt a coy smile curl her mouth as she accepted the rose. Slanting her eyes up to his, she knew he didn't mind. Endymion knew she had a mind, and wasn't some simpering miss.

Raising one hand to her hair, Endymion twined one of the red locks through his supple fingers. "I was afraid you would be too tired from dancing the evening away."

Looking up into his eyes, she knew that even if she had been dead tired, she would meet with him. 

The scene darkened, and when Mia could see again, she was hopeful. _'Maybe I will get to see him again.'_ Looking all around, she noticed that she was back in the woods. Following the sound of Endymion's voice, she found him. Fury like she had never felt before boiled through of her, scorching the trees nearby. _'Who is that girl?! Why is she kissing _**my Endymion** As the trees smoked, she stared at the girl until she remembered her. _'The Moon-girl! She... she is stealing him from me. No-o-o-o-o-o!!!'_ A nearby oak tree flashed into a pillar of flames. The moon broke between the trees, silhouetting the couple. The image burned into Mia's mind, bring back the image from her nightmare full force. _'The vague shape is Endymion. That witch stole my love.'_ The grass and underbrush started burning. Spinning about, Mia fled the scene that was tearing her heart apart. The smoke from the burning forest blurred her sight. Her ears were filled with the crackling of the fire, the running of animals attempting to escape, and the popping sounds of the animals that didn't run fast enough to escape the inferno. The smell of cooking flesh filled her nostrils.

She broke free of the flames and ran further and further from the fury of the fire, leaving the sounds and smells far behind her. Eventually, the smoke cleared revealing an ash covered landscape. Two haunted red eyes peered at her from the dark, haze-filled sky.

The voice from her nightmares echoed from the ground under her feet. _Beryl. You can win him back. He is truly yours. His heart belongs to you. _

Off in the distance, Mia spotted the Moon-girl standing between her and Endymion.

Blinking her eyes blearily, Mia woke up. The smell of smoke clung to the sheets and to her. _'That is the worst part of my nightmares. They can affect the real world.'_ Swinging her feet to the ground, she headed out to start her day.

"Mia! Mia!"

Mia looked over at Maria, waved a greeting, and relaxed in her chair while she waited for her. When Maria reached her, she grinned at the bags under her eyes. 'We're a matched set. Good morning, Maria."

Maria chuckled. "Did you stay up last night writing that paper on fairy tales?"

Mia shook her head no. "I went to bed early, can't you tell?"

Maria gave her a disbelieving look. "Su-u-re. So, did you argue for or against the reality in fairy tales?"

Mia's nightmares sometimes seemed straight out a fairy tale. She suppressed a shudder as the dread from her nightmare brushed across her soul. "For. I mean there has to be some there, or they never would have been able to teach the lessons they were supposed to teach. If they were completely unbelievable, then no one would have cared."

"Good point." Tilting her head slightly, Maria contemplated Mia's defense. "Let's hope that the teacher agrees with you."

Glancing off into the courtyard, Mia spotted four students she didn't recognize. "I thought I knew everyone that hung out in the inner courtyard." She gestured to the four men. "Have you been introduced to them?"

Maria followed her line of sight. "Oh, they just transfered here from across the world. But I don't remember their names."

The college's old bell sounded the hour. Glancing up at it, both girls headed to class.


	2. Falling deeper

Title: Falling deeper - Awakening part II  
Author: Ree  
Theme: Favorite Character - Beryl- starve  
Genre: General  
Version: Anime/ Manga - Fates/Tainted Gifts storyline- preseries (Mia)  
Rating: G

Most of these characters belong to Takeuchi Naoko. I just borrowed my daughters paper dolls again.

Falling deeper

_AN: Mia is to Beryl as Usagi is to Sailor Moon._

Slated to play the villain - Awakening part I

Mia returned from shopping for lose stones. Dumping her newest prizes onto the table, she took a moment to enjoy their glittering surfaces. Running her finger over them, she test each to see how they would respond. A dark green, almost black, stone warmed quickly to her touch. _'Magic. Who among my friends would believe that it is real?'_ The faces of her friends floated through her mind, each one wearing an identical shocked expression. _'But, it is real. And I can use a little of it. A little Earth magic. Rocks, stones, and plants answer to my touch, bend to my will.'_ Her eyes narrowed in satisfaction as she scooped the rock off the table top. _'Of course, what other element would you expect from someone who's family line can be traced back to druidic and shinto priests. The power of the Earth is literally in my blood.'_ That was one of the reasons she had decided to become a geologist.

Peering at the stone, Mia took a moment to identify it. _'Beryl. How appropriate. The stone that compliments me the most has the same name the Endymion calls me in my dreams.'_ Rolling the stone between her fingers, she contemplated her dreams from the last couple of weeks. _'Endymion is in each of them. I can see how much he loves me. But in each one...'_ The Moon-girl's face flashed into her mind.

The Moon-girl always took Endymion away from her. Every dream now showed Endymion being drawn away, her striving to get him back, and then the Moon-girl killing him. At least that is what it looked like to Mia. The Moon-girl was there, she was there, and Endymion was there. Endymion always ended up dead, and Mia knew she would never kill her love. She was starving for his attention, his touch. She desperately wanted him to be here with her. But she knew what happened, what would continue to happen unless she took a stand, unless she fought for what she needed. The bones of the Earth had told her. The voice that always counseled her, the one that started as soon as she had awakened to her Earth magic, told her what was happening, that there was a chance to win him back. That he was the one meant for her. _'I can't believe I used to run from that voice. I should have realized earlier that it was an Earth spirit, that is where the voice always came from. It echoed up out of the ground, and vibrated off the rocks.'_

Scanning her eyes across the small pile of stones, she smiled. _'I'll be ready this time. This time I will store my powers in my rocks, my crystals. I know the matrix of each of these. I know the chemistry that composes each one, the atom's bond arrangement, the hardness, the places they were created. I know what they can withstand physically and I am learning what they can handle metaphysically.'_ Grinning savagely, she continued to channel her power into the beryl. Soon it would be full.


	3. Stones and people

Title: Stones and people - Awakening part III  
Author: Ree  
Theme: Favorite Character - Beryl- exceptional  
Genre: General  
Version: Anime/ Manga - Fates/Tainted Gifts storyline- preseries (Mia)  
Rating: G

Most of these characters belong to Takeuchi Naoko. I just borrowed my daughters paper dolls again.

Stones and people

_AN: Mia is to Beryl as Usagi is to Sailor Moon._

  
Mia watched as her partner pulled a stone out of the box and sat it on the lab bench between them. Darrel smiled as the pink stone glowed against the black ceramic surface of the lab top. "What is the name of this stone, and what are its properties?"

Mia fought the smile that tried to creep out. It would not have been a pleasant one. She was growing weary of this simple exercise. _'I'm read to move on. I can identify most stones easily now. It is you that is having difficulties. And the properties I want to tell you, you wouldn't believe or accept anyway. The professor doesn't care about magical properties.'_

Gazing at the stone, Mia noted its exceptional quality and intoned the answer from memory. "Kunzite, a type of spodumene. Class inosilicates, group pyroxenes. Its chemical composition is LiAlSi2O6. It has a specific gravity of 3.0 -3.2. It is a monoclinic crystal system, and has an refraction index of 1.653 - 1.682. Hardness is 6.5-7.0 on the Mohr scale, and it leaves a white streak when completing the streak test. Its cleavage is perfect, 110. Cleavage at angles of 87o and 93o, commonly with well developed parting on 100. Since this specimen is pink, some of the Aluminum has been substituted with Manganese."

Her partner stared at her, his envy not well cloaked. Mia let her smile escape, taking pleasure in Darrell's frustration that was mixed with the envy. _'I could tell you it's metaphysical properties, and I would even recommend you carry one with you on occasion, but you are a fool. A dullard. Not like the one named after this stone.'_ Her thought ground to a halt as the image of a man with hair as white a snow, and eyes as gray as the common color of the stone. Those eyes were haughty, and defiant. They reflected the owner's loyalty and discipline.

They teased the edge of her mind. She knew those eyes, that face. The last image she had was of the man fighting, struggling before losing. Then, he bowed to her. That exceptional warrior was hers. _'Metaphysically, kunzite represent peace, love, and compassion. It brings balance, both physical and emotional, and it alleviates depression. It allows you to focus on a task and complete it. If he is real, I need to find _**my**_ Kunzite soon.'_

Gazing through Darrell, Mia's eyes narrowed in pleasure at the thought of having the man in her memory under her power once more.


	4. Reworking the deal

Title: Reworking the deal - Awakening part IV  
Author: Ree  
Theme: Favorite Character - Beryl- Flight  
Genre: General  
Version: Anime/ Manga - Fates/Tainted Gifts storyline- preseries (Mia)  
Rating: G

Most of these characters belong to Takeuchi Naoko. I just borrowed my daughters paper dolls again.

Reworking the deal

_Mia is to Beryl as Usagi is to Sailor Moon_

Spinning sharply, Mai stared at the dream scape around her. _'What happened? Why is everything ice?'_ Chaffing her arms to warm them up, she looked for the trees that she had become accustom to dotting her dreams. Giving up, she searched for a way out of the ice field. Spotting a likely path, she headed down it. It didn't take to long to figure out that she picked the wrong path. The overwhelming sense of uncertainty was slowly replaced by dread.

Mia's feet took flight, running as fast as she could in her attempt to escape the dread seeping into her soul. The path seemed to stretch forever in front of her, and it was leading her to where she could hear the voice of the Earth spirit calling her.

Feeling like she was being lead or herded, Mia searched for a way off the path. Not seeing one, she turned around, planning on going back to the beginning. _'I refuse to be drawn. That is all that has happened in these dreams. I have been led from one nightmare scene to another. I don't want to see what is next.'_ She stopped short. The path was gone. It had been replaced by a series of sharp edged ice hills. Glancing to the left and the right, she saw that the edges of the path were lined with the sharp edged hills, also. The light, she wasn't sure if it was sunlight or moonlight, glinted off the sides like light on the edge of a blade. _'Cut off. I really have no choice. Flight is no longer an option.'_ With no where to run, she walked slowly forward, watching for a way to escape as dread turned to fear. _'Why am I afraid? The Earth spirit is my friend, my counselor.'_ Unable to shake the fear that was settling into her bones, she continued forward.

_Beryl, my avatar, it is time. All five of you are here. It is time to awaken._

Jerking her head side to side, Mia tried to spot the physical form of the spirit. All that she could see of the frozen landscape was barren. "Where are you? If I am really your avatar, then show yourself to me!" 

The path abruptly ended at an opening in the ice. She could feel a menacing evil flowing out of the caves entrance. _'Evil... or anger? The spirit really wants to help me, or does it wish to hurt me? If it wants to harm me, then ...'_ Searching the empty area around her, she saw nothing that would work as a weapon._'Not that I would be able to defeat an Earth spirit with physical means.'_ Stepping back, she ran into a walk of ice. _'I refuse to leave my back against its creation.'_ Adrenaline started working its way through her system. _'Fight or Flight syndrome. That is what this is. But it has cut off the flight option.'_ Mia walked towards the cave's entrance, her aggravation burning its way up through her. _'If I can't defeat it physically, then maybe magically.'_ She felt a chip of beryl nestled in her right palm.

_It is time! Our pact of old is still binding. You are still mine!_

Mia jerked back as her left hand stung and began to burn. Looking at it as she drew it to her, she saw a large slash open across the palm, and her blood welling out. Clutching her hand closed, she held it to her chest. "I'm not yours! I'm mine!"

A deep resonating laugh flowed out of the mouth of the cave as her blood dribbled onto the ice at her feet. Screwing up her courage, she glared at the cave. "I am not yours! And what is it time for? Why do you call me your avatar? Who are you?"

_You are mine, Beryl. You sealed our pact with your blood._ A pair of red eyes shone from the ice cave. _You agreed that I, Queen Metallia, would help you win back your precious Prince Endymion. In exchange, you would supply me with the energy that I need to live. All through the ages, our pact has been renewed. Every generation, you have given me energy, and I have helped you find Endymion. But every time we have been thwarted. The Moon has stopped us._

Mia's scowled viciously. _'That Moon-girl!'_ She almost spat at the ground as she thought of that scheming wench. _'She has always gotten in my way.'_

The red eyes narrowed briefly. _But this time the Moon is not here. I cannot sense her at all. And the Lords, the Shitennou, have been reborn. Endymion is out there somewhere._

Mia clutched her hand tighter to her chest, trying to stop the hope building inside of it. _'This is a nightmare. Soon it will dissolve into horror, and Endymion will never be found.'_ Glaring at the glowing eyes, she held onto her courage. "Sure he is. And as soon as we find him, we'll all die, or you'll suck all his energy out of him."

_No. He is yours, as is the planet, to rule under me,... Queen Beryl._

Narrowing her eyes even more, Mia considered what Metallia promised. _'I will rule with Endymion, but not under her. I will not save him from that Moon-girl just to hand everything over to this creature.'_

Looking at the blood that coated the ice at her feet, Mia smiled cruelly. "Our first pact was sealed with my blood. This pact needs something more. You have my blood on the ice, but what will you give me?"

The red eyes flashed. _You receive the ability to use my gifts, my magic._

Mia shook her head. "I have a bit of magic in my own right, but is meager, because the gift never fully awakened. You said I have been feeding you energy for centuries. Open my gift to its fullest ability. Then I'll consent to the deal."

The red eyes narrowed, and a low growl came from the ice. Mia stood patiently, waiting. A plume of dark energy erupted out of the ice, engulfing Mia, eating into her body like burning acid. Breathless, she dropped the chip of beryl that she had been holding and tried to scream in agony. The stone chip floated into the air between her and Metallia. As it absorbed the energy that Mia didn't, it swelled, becoming a round crystal ball.

Mia found herself sitting up in her bed, staring at the light shining through the window. A quick glance at her left hand showed that it was fine, but as she moved the sheets, she paused. There, on the pristine white covers, were small drops of blood. Shaking, she forced herself to move and face the day. Resting on her nightstand was a dark crystal ball.


	5. Fallen

Title: Fallen - Awakening part V  
Author: Ree  
Theme: Favorite Character - Beryl  
Genre: General  
Version: Anime/ Manga - Fates/Tainted Gifts storyline- preseries (Mia)  
Rating: G

Most of these characters belong to Takeuchi Naoko. I just borrowed my daughters paper dolls again.

Fallen

_AN: Mia is to Beryl as Usagi is to Sailor Moon  
_

Maria watched, puzzled, as Mia ignored her and walked away from her normal seat in the courtyard. Her books were clasped to her chest, and she didn't return any of the greetings cast her way. The newbies that were hoping for the reigning queen's recognition were sorely disappointed.

Mia strolled across the courtyard trying to ignore the voice of Queen Metallia that had followed her out of her nightmares. It kept whispering to her all through her classes that morning. Giving up on ignoring the persistent voice, she began to mumble replies to it.

_It is time, my avatar._

"Go away, I have classes to pass right now. I don't have time for this yet."

_The four lords are here._

"Who are they, and why do I need them?" Even as she asked the question, she remembered them. The four lords who were under her power, tied to her by bonds as strong as the ones that tied her to Queen Metallia.

Mia stopped half way across the courtyard when a slight movement caught her eye. It reminded her to much of the shadow play in her nightmares. Instinctively she searched for a way to escape. Her eyes made contact with the tallest of the four newbies.

The voice crowed in her head. _It's them! It is the Shitennou! Awake and come to me Queen Beryl! Awake and bring your servants!_

Mia's left hand stung as Queen Metallia's geas flooded through her, overwhelming her psyche. Her eyes flashed with power. The blue-green color washed out of her irises, leaving only the ruddy red of her blood vessels to color them.

Beryl pulled at the bonds that were carefully wrought around the four men. One by one, they turned to her, the pale haired one fighting her to the last. _'That's right, you always did fight me. But I will always win. You are mine. All four of you.'_ Raising her left hand, she smiled cruelly at the men that stood pinned before her. _'It is time to leave. It is time for us to hunt for Endymion. To claim him. To protect him from that moon witch.'_ Summoning energy from deep inside of her, Beryl teleported all five of them to the frozen land where Queen Metallia waited.


End file.
